Great, there may be legal ways for Musk to continue his wasteful and wanton cruelty. But Gabe, some of your word choices leave a lot to be desired. “Trump and Musk have already blazed a trail through government …” makes them sound like Lewis and Clark when a more apt comparison is Genghis Khan teaming up with Attila the Hun to rampage and pillage throughout the land.
Also, for everyone engaged in the discussion regarding whether or not one should wish for pain or hardship on others as a prelude to change and to highlight what all of the good people who serve us in the federal government are going through, here is a direct quote from the current, very powerful head of the federal government’s Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, who was also a major architect of Project 2025:
“We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down … We want to put them in trauma.”
I keep using the “S” word (shame) but it seems woefully inadequate.
What's truly alarming about this entire DOGE situation isn't just the reckless cuts themselves, but how it's exposing and accelerating the erosion of constitutional guardrails. When senators like Graham and Paul are actively helping the executive branch find workarounds to congressional appropriations authority, we're witnessing an institutional failure. These senators are essentially conspiring to diminish the very legislative power they've been elected to exercise. The Constitution's framers would be stunned to see legislators eagerly helping a president circumvent Congress's most fundamental power.
This goes beyond partisan politics. What we're seeing is the culmination of decades of congressional abdication, where lawmakers from both parties have repeatedly surrendered their constitutional responsibilities to avoid difficult votes. The modern Congress increasingly prefers to delegate hard decisions to the executive branch, then criticize the results without having their fingerprints on the policy. The current Republican enthusiasm for rescissions or challenging the Impoundment Control Act is the logical endpoint of this long-term institutional decline, where legislators actively undermine their own constitutional authority for short-term political convenience.
If Trump and Musk succeed with either strategy, it will permanently alter our constitutional framework. Future presidents - Democratic or Republican - would inherit these expanded powers, and the precedent would be nearly impossible to reverse. (Though if we look at how Biden largely ignored the expansive presidential powers that the Supreme Court handed him during his final weeks in office, it seems as though maybe only one party has the political will to fully utilize these authorities.) The Supreme Court has historically been reluctant to robustly enforce separation of powers in fiscal matters, viewing them as primarily political questions. We're witnessing the quiet transformation of our system from one where Congress controls spending to one where the president enjoys discretionary impoundment authority that the Framers explicitly rejected.
And of course, I always have to mention irony. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump constantly criticized Obama's use of executive orders, stating that Obama "just goes along and signs executive orders for everything... because that's easy to do." He then proceeded to match and now exceed Obama's pace of executive orders during his own terms. His stance on executive authority has nothing to do with constitutional principles and everything to do with who holds the office. When he's not president, executive power is dangerous corruption; when he is president, it's unquestionably necessary.
We have to ensure our persuadable loved ones understand that this constitutional reshuffling isn't just procedural minutiae but a permanent restructuring of American governance. Legislators need to feel genuine constituent pressure regardless of whether they directly voted on specific cuts. Demand that budget deficits are paid for by the wealthiest who pay lower percentages of their income in taxes. Speak out against cuts to programs that support everyone who needs support. Supporting a president's agenda generally is still something we can hold them accountable for. When enough voices demand that Congress reassert its constitutional prerogatives, legislators will become more afraid of their constituents than of their party leadership. And when Trump’s polling numbers inevitably fall to their low-low-low baseline numbers, Rs will distance themselves like they did last time. This constitutional crisis is happening in plain sight, but without enough citizens recognizing it for what it is, the guardrails will continue to crumble with barely a whimper. Make sure your friends and family members in “conservative” districts are informed and making their voices heard.
I think we are in a situation where our elected officials are more concerned with lying, boasting, lobbies, and getting reelected rather than our democracy, the laws governing and the very people they are supposed to be serving. It’s truly disgraceful.
You're right! The behavior we're seeing is truly disgraceful, and it's easy (and often correct) to blame individual politicians for their choices. Yet I think we're witnessing the predictable outcome of a system with deeply misaligned incentives. When legislators benefit more from abdicating responsibility than from exercising it, we shouldn't be surprised when they do exactly that.
The current incentive structure is perverse - taking tough votes on appropriations exposes members to attack ads, while letting the president make those decisions shields them from accountability. They get the benefits of government services for their constituents without the political cost of voting for taxes or specific cuts. It's individually rational behavior in a collectively destructive system. We can blame the individuals (and they deserve it), but new faces will likely make the same choices unless we fix the underlying system.
I think about solutions like ranked-choice voting, which would reduce the leverage of party primaries where members are punished for compromise. Or requiring members to vote annually on whether they affirm or reject every major executive order and regulatory action, forcing them to take positions rather than hiding. And of course we need campaign finance reform so that taking votes isn't mostly a liability in elections, leading to pervasive messages that take those votes out of context and punish them for respecting nuance.
The framers understood that power-seeking was human nature, which is precisely why they designed a system of competing ambitions. Until we make that surrender more politically costly than doing their constitutional duty, this erosion will likely continue regardless of which party holds power.
I agree with your very thoughtful comment. I have been speaking out as much as I can and so have my friends but we are old. I'm concerned about those who are buying in to the disinformation and absolutely refuse to accept any reasonable, accurate source. Thank you for your insight.
Very well said. It is challenging to reason with people who reached their opinion based on things other than reason (as Sharon has said something like this). But I try to approach with "how are things going with you" (usually not so great) and then facts about what is happening in the country.
Thank you, Audrey. Having those conversations with people you know well are super important, and I think your strategy makes a lot of sense for people who have an existing trust with you.
And then also I've been trying to use my free time to write something about persuading random people on the internet. It's been in my drafts for weeks now, but not enough free time has come up. I was hoping this weekend, and then my partner just informed us that we have some surprise houseguests 🙃 But I'll distill it down into a few paragraphs just because it's relevant!
The key insight I keep coming back to is that we shouldn't aim to change the minds of those firmly entrenched in their positions - that rarely works. Instead, focus on the silent "persuadable middle" who are reading along but not commenting. When you engage with someone posting extreme views, remember your real audience is those observers. Which might seem unsatisfying, because those people aren't participating or giving feedback, but logically you know that most people read the comments without jumping in.
Rather than countering with facts (which are easily dismissed as "fake news"), try asking people to explain their logic or follow their reasoning to its natural conclusion. This approach often reveals contradictions without directly attacking their identity. For example, with DOGE supporters, accepting their premise that government is being streamlined to only essential functions opens the door to ask why billionaires shouldn't pay their fair share for those essential services that remain.
Most importantly, measure success differently. You won't get people to admit they're wrong in public, but you might get them to delete embarrassing comments, temper their fervor, or plant seeds of doubt that grow later. And for everyone silently reading along, you've offered a reasonable counterpoint they might not otherwise hear. And you have also done something good in being a visible example of a reasonable person with a differing viewpoint, rather than letting the comment section demonize the other side without any challenge. In our polarized landscape, that small victory might be more meaningful than we realize.
That's such a great question, Audrey! The "everything is corrupt" crowd is actually the toughest to engage with because they've retreated to a defensive position that's impervious to evidence. Sadly, not everyone is reachable, but I prefer to exhaust all easy strategies before giving up.
When someone takes that "nothing can be trusted" stance, I try to approach it from a few angles:
First, I sometimes share my own journey with media skepticism: "I used to feel exactly the same way. Then I started reading primary sources - actual bills, court decisions, research studies - instead of just commentary. It's more work, but I found I can actually form opinions I trust." This validates their skepticism while suggesting constructive alternatives, and also let's them know that you're not coming after them with your own unexamined ideology.
Second, I gently probe for inconsistency. Everyone trusts something - they just don't frame it that way. "I hear you saying you don't trust any media or politicians. Where do you get information that you feel is reliable?" Almost always, they do have sources they trust, they just don't categorize them as "media." This reveals that their issue isn't with information itself but with specific institutions. Or they'll say something so dumb that you know that it's time to cut your losses and move on.
Third, if you're still participating, I try to establish common ground on basic principles. "Before we get to blaming someone, can we agree that having clean air and water is important?" or "Do you think it's good when people have access to affordable healthcare?" Most people will say yes. Then I might ask, "So if we agree on those goals, the real question is just how to achieve them, right?" This shifts the conversation from wholesale rejection of systems to a more productive discussion about methods.
The goal isn't to convince them to suddenly trust CNN or politicians, but to move them from nihilistic cynicism ("nothing matters, it's all corrupt") to constructive skepticism ("I need to evaluate claims carefully"). It's a journey for sure! No blanket rules will always work, but it's definitely better than the current plan of just ignoring the cynical people and letting them vote in uninformed general anger.
This article doesn't challenge at all the assumption that there is in fact legitimate "waste, fraud, and abuse" which DOGE is targeting... it simply accepts Republican framing on this and offers paths to continue hollowing out our federal government in a way that will impoverish many Americans, kill vulnerable populations throughout the world, and enrich a handful of billionaires.
This is fiddling while Rome burns. The Republic is collapsing, so why are we having procedural discussions as if these actions are happening in good faith?
It also doesn’t challenge the waste, fraud and abuse of DOGE itself. While the rest of the government agencies staffing is being illegally slashed DOGE has continued to hire and they aren’t hiring GS5/7 staff, these people have been hired at the highest level of the pay scale GS15, which most actually do not qualify for. Their budget is ballooning. And are their employees actually doing anything other than use AI to do word searches? None of Musk’s contracts have even been looked at and I think they are using the information to give more contracts to Musk and increase his stranglehold on government funding. Musk’s contracts are HUGE and bloated and should be on the table for review and cuts. I truly believe Musk is only involved in all of this to continue to enrich himself.
And what about the waste of government funds and the millions of taxpayer dollars Trump is spending on his personal golf trips - if it was truly about cutting spending he would be staying in DC and working. According to his own executive order federal employees (which he is one) can no longer telework more than 5 days in a year - he’s already over that number of days, oh I forgot - he’s exempt from everything.
Not to mention that all of the procedural mistakes DOGE is making (and the legal trouble they've gotten in) is also a massive waste of money. How many taxpayer dollars are being spent in court, or trying to track down a fired worker who needs to be put back in place? How much essential work is piling up while they figure out who to give it to? How much food and medicine - that we've ALREADY paid for! - is lying in waste due to cut aid programs? DOGE itself is being incredibly inefficient and wasteful. It makes me feel insane.
I want everyone to understand how permanent this damage is: we won't be able to rebuild these institutions, because
1) It's been demonstrated that they can be dismantled in mere weeks by executive fiat, so how do we know a future administration won't destroy them again?
2) Who will staff any program knowing that federal employment is no longer a stable job?
3) Even if we could find the bipartisan will to amend the Constitution (doubtful), everything is being done extraconstitutionally right now, so the Constitution is not binding to those who refuse to abide by it.
4) The effort involved takes years, many people, and sustained investment. Who thinks that's likely in the next few years?
I would like to be more hopeful and again, I won't stop working toward a better future, but we need everyone to be honest about how bad things are before we can chart a path forward.
As a longtime federal employee we are all committed to doing everything we can to keep these agencies functioning. We know it is a huge ask and it won’t be fixed overnight but we will get it done. We have been doing more with less for so long and still managing to meet our missions (my agency hasn’t had a budget increase in years.) We don’t go into these jobs for money (been through a lot of years of pay freezes and hiring freezes) or fame or even the job security (though that has been a draw in the past.) It is unprecedentedly bad for us right now and it has united us in our determination to overcome and limit the damage as much as possible. There is still hope.
Thank you for your commitment in the face of so many odds. I really don't think that most people understand how many agencies are actually understaffed and underfunded, and now we are gutting them even further.
I saw someone comment yesterday that democracy is a soft form of communism (not a fake account). I am just so, so disheartened. We can’t even look at democracy as a good thing because a political party we have demonized is called “Democratic”? Are we in the upside down?
At work last week, one of my coworkers said she was helping her daughter with homework. Her daughter had to write a paper about which two democratic principles were her favorite and why. Another coworker laughed and said, “How about none of them?” and everyone else in the room laughed. I truly don’t think some people understand, and it’s really discouraging.
I wouldn’t consider it a secret strategy. Trump and the people in his ear know the ICA exists, he simply doesn’t want to use it because he doesn’t think he should have to. He thinks he is / wants to be king above all laws. I think in his mind if he refuses to follow the law, judicial orders, etc. enough then there’s nothing that can stop him and we’ll have no choice but to let him do what he wants.
I also have a feeling that if he ever did get impeached (again) he would argue that it doesn’t count/there’s no such thing as impeachment anymore since the SC already ruled that a president has complete immunity..
Reading this I kept thinking that because we don’t have term limits, our elected reps are fighting to keep their very livelihoods. They aren’t public servants. They’re employees who don’t want to lose their jobs and therefore they do and say and vote on whatever keeps their butts in the chair which, right now, is all about bowing to Trump/MAGA.
So listen. The economy is going exactly as planned and as I had hoped 😂. Powell held steady (I predict that sometime between now and June 1st Trump will begin his public flogging of him), lower spending is slowing growth (your wallet is your weapon - and it’s working) and I can’t wait to see the unemployment numbers. We just need inflation to rise and it’s not. Yet. Bless his little heart that the tariffs will see to that. Then? This stagflation cake is baked and we’re in for lots of pain for lots of time. Stagflation is terribly hard to fix. His head will spin. And then, I hope, the spell will be broken.
For those of us without much hope that Trump’s strategies will work for the better, I think the hope is that the pain comes quick and sharp rather than slow and long. We’d rather a pinprick of pain (that forces Trump to change strategy or the people to change votes) than a slow painful years-long recession.
Editing my last statement because I can see how it would make anyone defensive. I'm working on this! I invite you Amy to consider the harm already being caused. I read your comments always curious about your perspective and where you stand. I don't clearly see you acknowledging the harm being done already in a very short time - though maybe im not seeing all of your comments. Sometimes it come across as you being supportive of it even. So, when you call out someone for wishing harm so people will wake up, it honestly sounds hypocritical to focus on that aspect when thousands of people are suffering because of Trump. You have freedom to choose your response obviously, I hope you will consider this perspective as well.
Re wishing people to experience harm to wake them up - this concept is similar to the idea that you can't force someone addicted to something to give it up. Often things have to get so bad for them that they finally realize they have to change, they have to think differently. Often, it's not the pain they're causing others that initiates the healing. It's when they can no longer ignore their own pain and how the addiction is causing that pain. What we're hearing about in some of the Republican
town halls are people starting to see the connection between Trumps words and the reality of the impact on them personally. I don't wish harm on those people at all. I wish they had seen it earlier, but it is what it is. I hope we can all come together to protect our own futures and the lives of others as well.
I still don’t think it makes sense or healthy to wish pain (in any form) on our fellow Americans. In my opinion- offering an alternative that will benefit most Americans is the way to go. This anger and desire for hurt and destruction only turns people away.
I don't think that's true at all. Trump basically campaigned on a program of raining down hurt and destruction on everybody throughout the world who isn't MAGA or a MAGA supporter and people didn't turn away.
What do you think that alternative is? I would like a President who isn’t threatening our allies, threatening and harming the poor, threatening and harming our national parks and etc. I would like a Congress that acted as a coequal branch of government. I am genuinely asking- are you ok with this? What alternative are you thinking of? I also do not want anyone harmed but do not see a viable way out of this - people are already badly harmed.
I don’t have an alternative but hope we have some good options in future elections. Was responding to the original commenter who “can’t wait to see the unemployment numbers and wishes inflation to rise”. It is not helpful to wish for America’s destruction because you don’t like what is happening in the current administration.
Yeah, we're already feeling the pinch in Maine from the tariffs on Canada and I think it's just the beginning. Our February border crossings alone were down by 30k. Some of our coastal towns, which live or die by tourist dollars, get 20-40% of their annual revenue from Canadian tourists, many (if not most) of whom are no longer going to be visiting. Our national park here in Maine has been desperately understaffed and has a backlog of needed maintenance, and that's not getting better now. The President is already threatening to withhold federal funding because he doesn't like our governor, and if things continue on-trend with the tariffs, next winter's heating costs are going to skyrocket.
And even if all of that is reversible - if it all, by some miracle, finally gets Susan Collins to find her spine - we've already done far worse damage to the trust that our fellow citizens and international neighbors can put into the stability of our government. Tariffs could be slapped on our allies without good reason, visitors are more likely to be detained at our borders, our fellow Americans' civil service jobs are no longer guaranteed, etc. It's beyond what having "good options in future elections" can do - we'll be digging ourselves out of this reputational hole for decades (at least).
Is she "wanting pain?" Or is she recognizing that pain will happen no matter what, and wanting that to arrive sooner (rather than lingering while things continue to unfold) in order to break the spell, if not for Trump himself then for those who still don't see this administration as destructive, and for Trump to finally feel their justified disapproval? I read her post as the latter.
Yes, this is how I read it too. I think the pain is inevitable, so "wanting" it just means that I hope it happens quickly so more people will acknowledge it, and we can move forward instead of backward. I don't feel like wanting it means I want the country to fail. I just don't think we can change course until more people feel and acknowledge the pain that's occurring.
Perhaps the OPs last line didn't stand out to you the way it stood out to me, in which she stated, "and then, I hope, the spell will be broken." She ends with the explicit hope that once some pain is felt, we can finally move on. Having similar political leanings, I read that as a hope to move on from this period in American politics where we have a president who seems to be more focused on destruction of government rather than the welfare of the American people. That's not excitement for failure, it's hope for something better.
The pain that is currently being caused by trump is devastating. I would not wish pain on anyone but also believe we have a very short amount of time before this crew dismantles our democracy - and places us in terrible danger from our enemies. The pain of living in an autocracy is severe according to those who have fled them. I hope those who are celebrating trump are able to recognize that autocracy is not better than democracy.
I hear you, but I don’t think it’s on the American people to offer an alternative that has no hope of reaching the people in charge. Trump will do what he wants - we all know that. And knowing that, it doesn’t make much sense to hope and plan for an alternative.
I don’t wish pain on the American people. I hope every day that I’m wrong about what I believe is the destructive nature of Trump’s policies. But I’m also not going to delude myself when I see the pain that is already being caused.
I agree with you Amy that it's not healthy to wish pain on others. And we are seeing pain everywhere right now, delivered by Trump, Elon and their other leaders. Veterans and civil service employees losing their jobs. Farms facing closure. Communities flooded and not getting federal assistance. Historical information getting erased, as if no woman, person of color, disabled person contributed anything to society. And that's a very short list of the pain that's already directly impacted people in the last 2 months. When are you going to care more about the pain actually happening vs. this debate about whether it's going to take pain to wake people up?
Um, that’s a false choice. It will take pain to wake them up. It just will. But it’s gotta be more than what we have now. Sorry. Have you ever studied cults? People can rationalize all of it. Too many of his voters love him because they’re afraid. They’re afraid of the “other”: women, trans, gay, black, Mexican and Latin/South American. They’re afraid of Dems too. So they need to be more afraid of something else to be open to hearing the truth. It’s ugly. But look back in history. It’s what happens.
So Dems aren’t angels. They have a lot to fix and do better on for sure. But what you’re asking assumes that MAGA peeps would know a good alternative if they saw it. Too many of them would not. They believe his propaganda. So showing them better is pointless. They have to first be open to reason and fact. Last time I checked, feeling pain cracks people wide open. And let’s be clear. I’m in NO mood to suffer along side these chuckleheads but if it gets me my country - back I’m in.
I find it interesting that so many people blame Trump supporters for believing the propaganda. People on the right said the same thing about Biden supporters. There are actual real reasons that people support different Presidents or vote and it has nothing to do with propaganda.
People who support Trump are not idiots because they support him. Some people are just idiots and it has nothing to do with which President they support.
I don’t believe people in these comments are saying Trump supporters are idiots. What many of us are wondering is why someone would support him. Why did you vote for him - I’m asking an honest question? What about him and his platform made you feel he was the better candidate?
There are many reasons. But my primary reason is RFK Jr.
I didn’t like the direction our country was going under the Biden administration. Looking at the democrat party, I believed any option was better than that party. Between how covid was handled, the cover up of Biden’s cognitive decline, and open borders, that isn’t a party I can get behind.
Thank you for responding. 😊 I voted for Harris for many reasons: higher taxes on the super rich and corporations, environmental protections, protecting women’s health care rights and protecting social security/medicare/medicade. I was a republican until they nominated Trump, I can’t support a candidate/party who caters to the super wealthy and actively works to destroy what is most important to me.
That being said, I agree our immigration system is a mess and needs to be fixed and I also agree there is much waste and bloat in the government. Where the waste and bloat isn’t is where it is currently being cut. The waste and bloat is in the contracts people like Musk have that overcharge and under deliver (if they deliver at all.) It’s in all the pork that our politicians add to the spending bills - but none of that is actually being cut.
I don’t recognize this country anymore. It’s dark ages for me. It’s going backwards fast. There’s a spell of disinformation that’s been cast and a whole bunch of people who believe that Trump will make them happy and safe and economically secure again. That spell needs to be broken hard and fast. We can’t use reason or facts. Pain that’s felt deeply, I believe, is the only way out. If his supporters wake up and say “I have no job and my groceries cost more - no wait everything costs more! - and I can’t borrow money because rates are too high” etc etc then and only then will they MAYBE blame him. And they’d be right - for the first time in a long time. HE is the one to blame for this mess that’s rolling down the hill fast.
My thoughts exactly, Amy! The hate runs so deep…just look at all the horrific acts being committed against Tesla owners and dealerships, the very brand that was being touted by the Left a mere couple of years ago. I would also like to add, anyone who voted for Tim Walz as VP and also complains about Trump being a bully should really take note that the “big teddy bear from MN” is anything but…the interview with Newsom was very telling. The hypocrisy is comical and sad both!
Respectfully, it's easy to paint the "other party" as a whole as "hateful" based on the actions - condemned by most, by the way - of very, very few. It's not MY fault that some idiot thinks torching a Tesla will heal the world just like it probably wasn't your fault that some Republicans broke into the Capitol. I still think EVs are one of the better things humans have created recently, and also I think Elon Musk is being very destructive with our government. Both can be true.
Hypocrisy is part and parcel with any party over policy stance. I'd like to think most here in these comments are trying their best not to get dragged into it. It's nice to give people the benefit of the doubt where we can.
I was merely addressing to the “pain” aspect of Jeanne’s reply. Where is the line drawn? Wishing for pain, IMO, is never a good thing. Maybe it’s just the way this southern girl was raised…
Sure. But isn't wishing to deport millions also wishing pain on those millions? Isn't pushing trans people out of athletics wishing a measure of pain on them? Didn't the writers of the Project 2025 initiative explicitly wish pain on federal workers as a part of the process of shrinking government?
I'm sure all of us want to take the "high road" of claiming we never wish pain on anyone. But being part of a society that must function together always means someone's going to experience pain at the cost of someone else's freedom. We should wish to limit the pain to as little as possible, of course. And that's what liberals believe they're doing, and that's what conservatives believe they're doing.
If by ‘wishing to deport millions’ you are referring to people that entered this country illegally, you need to go back to the decisions that they made to come here unvetted. Deportation is not a result of anyone “wishing” pain on them. It’s righting a wrong that should have never been allowed in the first place…as for the pain being caused to trans athletes, I see it as “actual” pain and disservice to the women impacted by allowing them to participate in areas where they clearly, hello DNA!, don’t belong. The real pain with the trans issue in sports lies in missed scholarships and opportunities the women athletes missed out on.
How is upholding immigration laws and not allowing biological males in women’s sports “values”? These are not specific to me, they are actual rules/laws…
Per the rules of the NCAA, trans people have been allowed in sports for decades. It just became a Republican talking point over the past handful of years. It's not a law nor a rule.
Many of the people Trump is attempting to deport are following the asylum and immigration laws we have in place. It's just that our laws are very, very outdated and bad, causing years-long delays. It would have been cool if we'd gotten that bipartisan immigration legislation passed in 2024, but alas.
But I fear we're straying from the original point in question, and I'm not looking to get into a long drawn-out argument on these two issues.
A yet, that’s exactly what you have done…as per usual here on this Substack. Not speaking only to you but many others who seem to always have a superior voice when it comes to anything and everything the current administration is doing. It has become so very predictable. There are other members with whom I share similar views. I know this because I hear from them directly, however they see how myself and a few others are treated and they chose to stay on the background. Perhaps they are the smarter ones. The echo chamber is becoming deafening and the bandwagon is running out of space.
Are you comparing "horrific" acts against Tesla dealerships vs thousands of people losing their jobs and livelihood, farms going bankrupt, people being deported without due process, veterans losing the support they need, etc? That's just the short list of trauma being imposed on people in this country. Why are you more concerned about a Tesla dealership? Musk can't possibly spend the amount of money he has in this lifetime. And yet you are more concerned about him? Do you see the pain happening around our country?
Robn, i agree with you that wishing pain on other humans is not good. If you believe that too, and you can see the pain that's being caused by Trump and Musks decisions, how do you reconcile that in your mind? Pain is happening NOW. So if you agree with and support what Trump and Musk are doing, you are literally wishing pain on other human beings. You are literally supporting people losing their jobs and livelihoods, veterans losing the support they need, people with cancer losing medical trials, families getting separated from each other, and too many other pains to list here. So getting upset at people for "wishing pain" when you are literally advocating for the pain happening right now is hypocritical at minimum.
Any of it? All of it? Tim Walz maybe? I don’t follow him so I don’t know what you’re referring to? The interview with Newsom maybe? Hypocrisy? I’m not tracking. And since tone can’t be conveyed here I’m not being snarky. I’m truly asking.
I don’t follow Walz either. I saw the interview he did over on Gavin Newsom’s recent podcast. You may want to listen to it as reference to what I mentioned. While I understand where you are coming from by wishing pain on fellow citizens, I am also reminded of a saying my late grandmother used to say, “Misery often loves company…”. Although sometimes tempting, especially toward those we feel have hurt us, ill will is never as fulfilling as it may seem. 😊
So I’m wondering if this helps with the understanding of why I wish the economy the worst under this crazy and destructive Trumptopian regime: Let’s just say you have a teenage son. He’s a know it all kid who loves to stay up late on school nights, blows off his homework and hates to brush his teeth before bed. You know this isn’t healthy for him. You know staying up late and then having to get up early for school the next day isn’t good for his brain health or immune system. You also know that blowing off homework is also not good for his long term well being and bad grades will hurt his chances of getting into college (or wherever). You also are sure (and you’d be right) that not brushing teeth = cavities. But he won’t or can’t listen to you or to reason of any kind. Many parents, including me, would say okay. Let’s see what happens when he gets the bad grade or the cavity or the cold from too many late nights. It’s a natural consequence and he may wake up and take heed after “suffering” the results of his actions. It won’t kill him, you’re still a loving parent and a good person, but you also know that some people can’t or won’t be convinced unless they see it and feel it and learn a lesson themselves, first hand. So here we are. This, right here, is the Trump voter. They don’t believe data and fact. So natural consequences are all we have left. And that’s not schadenfreude.
Jeanne- Trump voters aren’t a monolithic group. There are many different reasons people voted for Trump and they don’t need to be taught a lesson. It is insulting.
I don’t love much about him but do enjoy his sense of humor. I’m just happy he is in the White House over Harris. But I won’t be sad when his term is over.
Somewhat as I don’t align at all to the Democratic Party. I would have preferred another Republican candidate, but I also am fans of RFK Jr and Tulsi. RFK Jr had my vote and support all along.
Just wondering - what part of what I just said prompted that question? The whole convo we were just having about natural consequences and living with the outcomes…are we putting that on hold? Does it just make way too much sense 🤷♀️
Actually I didn’t comment on your comparison because of the ridiculous nature of comparing tough love parenting with wishing pain on your fellow citizens. These two are not the same…on the other hand, my question to you was prompted by your lumping all Trump voters into one lane. Why don’t you want to answer??🤔
Attempt #2 (and there is no #3): So people who voted for Trump believed he really would Make America Great Again. Right? They still do. Now let’s just say that I and 48.3% of the voters knew that Trump serving as president was as bad as not brushing your teeth times 10,000,000,000,000,000 (okay, gotta stop there). We’ve tried our darnedest to fight fiction with fact and cut through the clutter of lies that Trump needs people to believe in so he can stay in power. But now we are done. Time to let these MAGA voters experience the America they voted for. And it will be bad. But I’m not hoping this m’am. I’m KNOWING this. And I am just so sorry that you can’t see this. Trumpies have to feel their vote and it will be bone crushing. And while I don’t want them to be crushed, I do want them to say “Damn that MAGA fool” when they are, eventually, crushed. That pain is the only hope we have because they won’t listen to fact and reason (and basic human rights, economics, ethics yada yada yada). Now, about that vote question you asked me. This same grandma who told you all about that misery and company stuff? Didn’t she also tell you that it’s rude to ask someone who they voted for? It is, you know 😉
Thank goodness you are done! Maybe focus a little more on the collapse of your own party and a little less on the one you don’t align with. Continuing to hope for the wrath of pain and hate-filled rants toward those of us wanting for and working for better, serves no one. (And it will make you miserable in the meantime!). I’ll bet those you preside over in the nonprofit would welcome better also.
Um, no hate filled rants. Just facts. But I know how difficult those are for you to hear right now and I’m sorry. It’s painful now I know. And it’s about to get way worse. But by 2026? 2028? It will eventually turn around. Chin up!
Life in America is getting better by the day. RFKJr is looking out for all the babies and Trump is gutting the DOE. I’m very happy with (not everything) but definitely most of the changes made in just the first 2.5 months!!
I’ve been wondering all along why so few in Congress has spoken up to say hey we are here, use us especially when the GOP has the House and Senate. IMO not speaking up makes them complicit in the chaos of these illegal EO’s. A few questions that keep coming up that I hope someone can answer: 1. Is it within the President’s constitutional right to form DOGE and hire Musk to do what he’s doing with zero congressional approval? Meaning Congress had to approve cabinet picks. Why not DOGE or Musk? I understand some actions Musk took were unconstitutional but is the position/dept itself illegal? 2. Did the CR contain other stuff? You said it was clean from a budget perspective, but articles I’ve read suggested it gave more power to Trump and Musk to keep cutting things with less oversight which is why Dems didn’t like it, is that true? Thanks!
As to why Congress hasn't spoken up, my personal sense is that many members do understand how DEEPLY unpopular a lot of these actions are (even with their own voters) and don't want to deal with having to be responsible for that agenda. It's one thing to say "I support the President" and another to say "I had the opportunity to vote on this, and I did."
That is true here in MO. When Republican US Rep Mark Alford (my former neighbor, but not Rep.) held a 10:00 am weekday town hall in a tiny coffee shop, he was surprised by people spilling out and lining the streets. He forgot his constituents were recently fired, and now available to attend. And Mad!
Mark’s response to his unemployed and irate constituents, “God has a plan for you.”
I’m sorry, “God has a plan for you.”?! Is that plan for kids to go hungry, folks to be homeless, and the elderly to lose their healthcare?! “Oh I’m sorry you life has gone to crap but I’m following my Lord and Savior, Velveeta Voldemort”. It is absolutely disgusting to suggest to suffering people that they will be just fine and to quit their complaining. 🤬
It's evident how unpopular some of their actions are as they are now no longer wanting to hold town halls. They don't want to face the voters anymore. I think thought that if these unpopular actions do get pushed through their voters will continue to be loud and unhappy with them. And especially the House knows there are elections in less than two years now. I voted for my R Congressman because he has always been a moderate who listened to his constituents but he has deeply disappointed me since the election. I will not be supporting him again.
My rep is holding a joint town hall with another district rep today. They didn't announce the town hall publicly anywhere, and it's being held in a small venue - I got very lucky to get tickets. They ran out within an hour or so of someone getting me the link (which was impossible to find via Google). I look forward to seeing what the environment of the town hall is like. I have a feeling it won't be very pretty - but I'm grateful, at least, that they're holding one at all.
My Representative is nowhere to be found and every time he posts on social media, all the comments say, "Where are you?" "When are you having a town hall?" Now people are starting to organize their own town halls and inviting him, but so far, he hasn't shown up.
He supposedly did a "phone town hall", but no one knew about it, so I think they sent the email to only supporters. I'm on his list, but I never got an email.
I'll be curious what happens in 2026. He won in this district by over 15% margin in 2024. In 2020, the Republican candidate only won by 3%. I wasn't in the district then, as after 2020, they changed the boundaries, and I went from District 2 to 1. This district is generally Republican lately but has been Democratic before. I just looked back and it went Republican by less than 1% in 2018. 2016 it was Democratic by a little over 1% and in 2014 and 2012, it was solid Democratic. This is very interesting. Much of this area is very rural, lots of farms, but also includes the city of Rochester with the Mayo Clinic and that is generally blue. This is Governor Walz's district. He won this district pretty solidly from 2006 through 2017 when he didn't run and ran for Governor instead.
Is this the same rep that voted against all the infrastructure bills but goes all over his district bragging about the roads, bridges, etc. and photographed with the leaders like he is responsible for the improvements?
My Rep is all over the place. He's doing things in public but with very private attendee lists who are his supporters. And they aren't things where he's taking questions. We are also very rural. He has been a Rep for a long time because he was a moderate and worked across the aisle to compromise and find the best outcomes for his constituents. But it feels like he's trying to keep his status quo without acknowledging the impacts so far.
I cannot remember a time reading your Preamble that I have been this upset and frightened. On a moral basis I'm so disheartened that it seems so mean spirited. On the basis of democracy, I think we are losing it. Regarding the dollars "saved", I think the slash and burn of services of all types will cost us in the costs of lawsuits, productivity, wages lost, therefore taxes collected. I would love to be wrong.
It seems like challenging the constitutionality will eventually backfire for republicans. If dems were in the White House and they were pushing for this, the republicans would be distraught. I think they need to remember that any power they gain in the executive branch by doing this will eventually be used against them.
Thanks, Gabe. I appreciate the way you cover issues, and your straightforward, well-written approach. Last night I watched the Chris Cuomo and Steve Bannon interview on News Nation, and some of these issues/strategies were discussed there as well.
Thank you :) We are a full house of animals over here. 4 cats, 1 dog, and a couple feral cats outside. Have to stop myself from rescuing more but they always find me. 😂
Great, there may be legal ways for Musk to continue his wasteful and wanton cruelty. But Gabe, some of your word choices leave a lot to be desired. “Trump and Musk have already blazed a trail through government …” makes them sound like Lewis and Clark when a more apt comparison is Genghis Khan teaming up with Attila the Hun to rampage and pillage throughout the land.
Also, for everyone engaged in the discussion regarding whether or not one should wish for pain or hardship on others as a prelude to change and to highlight what all of the good people who serve us in the federal government are going through, here is a direct quote from the current, very powerful head of the federal government’s Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, who was also a major architect of Project 2025:
“We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down … We want to put them in trauma.”
I keep using the “S” word (shame) but it seems woefully inadequate.
It makes me think of a tornado’s path, honestly. Destructive and dangerous.
This, thank you.
What's truly alarming about this entire DOGE situation isn't just the reckless cuts themselves, but how it's exposing and accelerating the erosion of constitutional guardrails. When senators like Graham and Paul are actively helping the executive branch find workarounds to congressional appropriations authority, we're witnessing an institutional failure. These senators are essentially conspiring to diminish the very legislative power they've been elected to exercise. The Constitution's framers would be stunned to see legislators eagerly helping a president circumvent Congress's most fundamental power.
This goes beyond partisan politics. What we're seeing is the culmination of decades of congressional abdication, where lawmakers from both parties have repeatedly surrendered their constitutional responsibilities to avoid difficult votes. The modern Congress increasingly prefers to delegate hard decisions to the executive branch, then criticize the results without having their fingerprints on the policy. The current Republican enthusiasm for rescissions or challenging the Impoundment Control Act is the logical endpoint of this long-term institutional decline, where legislators actively undermine their own constitutional authority for short-term political convenience.
If Trump and Musk succeed with either strategy, it will permanently alter our constitutional framework. Future presidents - Democratic or Republican - would inherit these expanded powers, and the precedent would be nearly impossible to reverse. (Though if we look at how Biden largely ignored the expansive presidential powers that the Supreme Court handed him during his final weeks in office, it seems as though maybe only one party has the political will to fully utilize these authorities.) The Supreme Court has historically been reluctant to robustly enforce separation of powers in fiscal matters, viewing them as primarily political questions. We're witnessing the quiet transformation of our system from one where Congress controls spending to one where the president enjoys discretionary impoundment authority that the Framers explicitly rejected.
And of course, I always have to mention irony. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump constantly criticized Obama's use of executive orders, stating that Obama "just goes along and signs executive orders for everything... because that's easy to do." He then proceeded to match and now exceed Obama's pace of executive orders during his own terms. His stance on executive authority has nothing to do with constitutional principles and everything to do with who holds the office. When he's not president, executive power is dangerous corruption; when he is president, it's unquestionably necessary.
We have to ensure our persuadable loved ones understand that this constitutional reshuffling isn't just procedural minutiae but a permanent restructuring of American governance. Legislators need to feel genuine constituent pressure regardless of whether they directly voted on specific cuts. Demand that budget deficits are paid for by the wealthiest who pay lower percentages of their income in taxes. Speak out against cuts to programs that support everyone who needs support. Supporting a president's agenda generally is still something we can hold them accountable for. When enough voices demand that Congress reassert its constitutional prerogatives, legislators will become more afraid of their constituents than of their party leadership. And when Trump’s polling numbers inevitably fall to their low-low-low baseline numbers, Rs will distance themselves like they did last time. This constitutional crisis is happening in plain sight, but without enough citizens recognizing it for what it is, the guardrails will continue to crumble with barely a whimper. Make sure your friends and family members in “conservative” districts are informed and making their voices heard.
I think we are in a situation where our elected officials are more concerned with lying, boasting, lobbies, and getting reelected rather than our democracy, the laws governing and the very people they are supposed to be serving. It’s truly disgraceful.
You're right! The behavior we're seeing is truly disgraceful, and it's easy (and often correct) to blame individual politicians for their choices. Yet I think we're witnessing the predictable outcome of a system with deeply misaligned incentives. When legislators benefit more from abdicating responsibility than from exercising it, we shouldn't be surprised when they do exactly that.
The current incentive structure is perverse - taking tough votes on appropriations exposes members to attack ads, while letting the president make those decisions shields them from accountability. They get the benefits of government services for their constituents without the political cost of voting for taxes or specific cuts. It's individually rational behavior in a collectively destructive system. We can blame the individuals (and they deserve it), but new faces will likely make the same choices unless we fix the underlying system.
I think about solutions like ranked-choice voting, which would reduce the leverage of party primaries where members are punished for compromise. Or requiring members to vote annually on whether they affirm or reject every major executive order and regulatory action, forcing them to take positions rather than hiding. And of course we need campaign finance reform so that taking votes isn't mostly a liability in elections, leading to pervasive messages that take those votes out of context and punish them for respecting nuance.
The framers understood that power-seeking was human nature, which is precisely why they designed a system of competing ambitions. Until we make that surrender more politically costly than doing their constitutional duty, this erosion will likely continue regardless of which party holds power.
Yes to all of this, and we have got to end gerrymandering ASAP!
I agree with your very thoughtful comment. I have been speaking out as much as I can and so have my friends but we are old. I'm concerned about those who are buying in to the disinformation and absolutely refuse to accept any reasonable, accurate source. Thank you for your insight.
Very well said. It is challenging to reason with people who reached their opinion based on things other than reason (as Sharon has said something like this). But I try to approach with "how are things going with you" (usually not so great) and then facts about what is happening in the country.
Thank you, Audrey. Having those conversations with people you know well are super important, and I think your strategy makes a lot of sense for people who have an existing trust with you.
And then also I've been trying to use my free time to write something about persuading random people on the internet. It's been in my drafts for weeks now, but not enough free time has come up. I was hoping this weekend, and then my partner just informed us that we have some surprise houseguests 🙃 But I'll distill it down into a few paragraphs just because it's relevant!
The key insight I keep coming back to is that we shouldn't aim to change the minds of those firmly entrenched in their positions - that rarely works. Instead, focus on the silent "persuadable middle" who are reading along but not commenting. When you engage with someone posting extreme views, remember your real audience is those observers. Which might seem unsatisfying, because those people aren't participating or giving feedback, but logically you know that most people read the comments without jumping in.
Rather than countering with facts (which are easily dismissed as "fake news"), try asking people to explain their logic or follow their reasoning to its natural conclusion. This approach often reveals contradictions without directly attacking their identity. For example, with DOGE supporters, accepting their premise that government is being streamlined to only essential functions opens the door to ask why billionaires shouldn't pay their fair share for those essential services that remain.
Most importantly, measure success differently. You won't get people to admit they're wrong in public, but you might get them to delete embarrassing comments, temper their fervor, or plant seeds of doubt that grow later. And for everyone silently reading along, you've offered a reasonable counterpoint they might not otherwise hear. And you have also done something good in being a visible example of a reasonable person with a differing viewpoint, rather than letting the comment section demonize the other side without any challenge. In our polarized landscape, that small victory might be more meaningful than we realize.
How do you approach people who throw their arms up and say they just can't trust anything and all media and politicians are corrupt?
That's such a great question, Audrey! The "everything is corrupt" crowd is actually the toughest to engage with because they've retreated to a defensive position that's impervious to evidence. Sadly, not everyone is reachable, but I prefer to exhaust all easy strategies before giving up.
When someone takes that "nothing can be trusted" stance, I try to approach it from a few angles:
First, I sometimes share my own journey with media skepticism: "I used to feel exactly the same way. Then I started reading primary sources - actual bills, court decisions, research studies - instead of just commentary. It's more work, but I found I can actually form opinions I trust." This validates their skepticism while suggesting constructive alternatives, and also let's them know that you're not coming after them with your own unexamined ideology.
Second, I gently probe for inconsistency. Everyone trusts something - they just don't frame it that way. "I hear you saying you don't trust any media or politicians. Where do you get information that you feel is reliable?" Almost always, they do have sources they trust, they just don't categorize them as "media." This reveals that their issue isn't with information itself but with specific institutions. Or they'll say something so dumb that you know that it's time to cut your losses and move on.
Third, if you're still participating, I try to establish common ground on basic principles. "Before we get to blaming someone, can we agree that having clean air and water is important?" or "Do you think it's good when people have access to affordable healthcare?" Most people will say yes. Then I might ask, "So if we agree on those goals, the real question is just how to achieve them, right?" This shifts the conversation from wholesale rejection of systems to a more productive discussion about methods.
The goal isn't to convince them to suddenly trust CNN or politicians, but to move them from nihilistic cynicism ("nothing matters, it's all corrupt") to constructive skepticism ("I need to evaluate claims carefully"). It's a journey for sure! No blanket rules will always work, but it's definitely better than the current plan of just ignoring the cynical people and letting them vote in uninformed general anger.
Very well put, thanks again for your insight. Lots of great suggestions here that I will use.
This is very, very helpful! Thank you for sharing your insights.
Excellent summary, Timothy. Thank you.
This article doesn't challenge at all the assumption that there is in fact legitimate "waste, fraud, and abuse" which DOGE is targeting... it simply accepts Republican framing on this and offers paths to continue hollowing out our federal government in a way that will impoverish many Americans, kill vulnerable populations throughout the world, and enrich a handful of billionaires.
This is fiddling while Rome burns. The Republic is collapsing, so why are we having procedural discussions as if these actions are happening in good faith?
It also doesn’t challenge the waste, fraud and abuse of DOGE itself. While the rest of the government agencies staffing is being illegally slashed DOGE has continued to hire and they aren’t hiring GS5/7 staff, these people have been hired at the highest level of the pay scale GS15, which most actually do not qualify for. Their budget is ballooning. And are their employees actually doing anything other than use AI to do word searches? None of Musk’s contracts have even been looked at and I think they are using the information to give more contracts to Musk and increase his stranglehold on government funding. Musk’s contracts are HUGE and bloated and should be on the table for review and cuts. I truly believe Musk is only involved in all of this to continue to enrich himself.
And what about the waste of government funds and the millions of taxpayer dollars Trump is spending on his personal golf trips - if it was truly about cutting spending he would be staying in DC and working. According to his own executive order federal employees (which he is one) can no longer telework more than 5 days in a year - he’s already over that number of days, oh I forgot - he’s exempt from everything.
Not to mention that all of the procedural mistakes DOGE is making (and the legal trouble they've gotten in) is also a massive waste of money. How many taxpayer dollars are being spent in court, or trying to track down a fired worker who needs to be put back in place? How much essential work is piling up while they figure out who to give it to? How much food and medicine - that we've ALREADY paid for! - is lying in waste due to cut aid programs? DOGE itself is being incredibly inefficient and wasteful. It makes me feel insane.
I want everyone to understand how permanent this damage is: we won't be able to rebuild these institutions, because
1) It's been demonstrated that they can be dismantled in mere weeks by executive fiat, so how do we know a future administration won't destroy them again?
2) Who will staff any program knowing that federal employment is no longer a stable job?
3) Even if we could find the bipartisan will to amend the Constitution (doubtful), everything is being done extraconstitutionally right now, so the Constitution is not binding to those who refuse to abide by it.
4) The effort involved takes years, many people, and sustained investment. Who thinks that's likely in the next few years?
I would like to be more hopeful and again, I won't stop working toward a better future, but we need everyone to be honest about how bad things are before we can chart a path forward.
As a longtime federal employee we are all committed to doing everything we can to keep these agencies functioning. We know it is a huge ask and it won’t be fixed overnight but we will get it done. We have been doing more with less for so long and still managing to meet our missions (my agency hasn’t had a budget increase in years.) We don’t go into these jobs for money (been through a lot of years of pay freezes and hiring freezes) or fame or even the job security (though that has been a draw in the past.) It is unprecedentedly bad for us right now and it has united us in our determination to overcome and limit the damage as much as possible. There is still hope.
Thank you for your commitment in the face of so many odds. I really don't think that most people understand how many agencies are actually understaffed and underfunded, and now we are gutting them even further.
Thank you for your commitment and dedication.
Thank you for your federal service!!
Thank you so much for your service! Truly the bravest among us right now. 💙
I saw someone comment yesterday that democracy is a soft form of communism (not a fake account). I am just so, so disheartened. We can’t even look at democracy as a good thing because a political party we have demonized is called “Democratic”? Are we in the upside down?
At work last week, one of my coworkers said she was helping her daughter with homework. Her daughter had to write a paper about which two democratic principles were her favorite and why. Another coworker laughed and said, “How about none of them?” and everyone else in the room laughed. I truly don’t think some people understand, and it’s really discouraging.
I wouldn’t consider it a secret strategy. Trump and the people in his ear know the ICA exists, he simply doesn’t want to use it because he doesn’t think he should have to. He thinks he is / wants to be king above all laws. I think in his mind if he refuses to follow the law, judicial orders, etc. enough then there’s nothing that can stop him and we’ll have no choice but to let him do what he wants.
I also have a feeling that if he ever did get impeached (again) he would argue that it doesn’t count/there’s no such thing as impeachment anymore since the SC already ruled that a president has complete immunity..
My thoughts exactly…
Reading this I kept thinking that because we don’t have term limits, our elected reps are fighting to keep their very livelihoods. They aren’t public servants. They’re employees who don’t want to lose their jobs and therefore they do and say and vote on whatever keeps their butts in the chair which, right now, is all about bowing to Trump/MAGA.
So listen. The economy is going exactly as planned and as I had hoped 😂. Powell held steady (I predict that sometime between now and June 1st Trump will begin his public flogging of him), lower spending is slowing growth (your wallet is your weapon - and it’s working) and I can’t wait to see the unemployment numbers. We just need inflation to rise and it’s not. Yet. Bless his little heart that the tariffs will see to that. Then? This stagflation cake is baked and we’re in for lots of pain for lots of time. Stagflation is terribly hard to fix. His head will spin. And then, I hope, the spell will be broken.
Why would you want us to fail? This is so disheartening because I don’t see an alternative view - only wishing failure on Americans and our country.
For those of us without much hope that Trump’s strategies will work for the better, I think the hope is that the pain comes quick and sharp rather than slow and long. We’d rather a pinprick of pain (that forces Trump to change strategy or the people to change votes) than a slow painful years-long recession.
Editing my last statement because I can see how it would make anyone defensive. I'm working on this! I invite you Amy to consider the harm already being caused. I read your comments always curious about your perspective and where you stand. I don't clearly see you acknowledging the harm being done already in a very short time - though maybe im not seeing all of your comments. Sometimes it come across as you being supportive of it even. So, when you call out someone for wishing harm so people will wake up, it honestly sounds hypocritical to focus on that aspect when thousands of people are suffering because of Trump. You have freedom to choose your response obviously, I hope you will consider this perspective as well.
Re wishing people to experience harm to wake them up - this concept is similar to the idea that you can't force someone addicted to something to give it up. Often things have to get so bad for them that they finally realize they have to change, they have to think differently. Often, it's not the pain they're causing others that initiates the healing. It's when they can no longer ignore their own pain and how the addiction is causing that pain. What we're hearing about in some of the Republican
town halls are people starting to see the connection between Trumps words and the reality of the impact on them personally. I don't wish harm on those people at all. I wish they had seen it earlier, but it is what it is. I hope we can all come together to protect our own futures and the lives of others as well.
I hope we can come together as well.
I still don’t think it makes sense or healthy to wish pain (in any form) on our fellow Americans. In my opinion- offering an alternative that will benefit most Americans is the way to go. This anger and desire for hurt and destruction only turns people away.
I don't think that's true at all. Trump basically campaigned on a program of raining down hurt and destruction on everybody throughout the world who isn't MAGA or a MAGA supporter and people didn't turn away.
Agreed^^^
What do you think that alternative is? I would like a President who isn’t threatening our allies, threatening and harming the poor, threatening and harming our national parks and etc. I would like a Congress that acted as a coequal branch of government. I am genuinely asking- are you ok with this? What alternative are you thinking of? I also do not want anyone harmed but do not see a viable way out of this - people are already badly harmed.
I don’t have an alternative but hope we have some good options in future elections. Was responding to the original commenter who “can’t wait to see the unemployment numbers and wishes inflation to rise”. It is not helpful to wish for America’s destruction because you don’t like what is happening in the current administration.
Some of us already in pain because of Trump’s and Doge policies.
Yeah, we're already feeling the pinch in Maine from the tariffs on Canada and I think it's just the beginning. Our February border crossings alone were down by 30k. Some of our coastal towns, which live or die by tourist dollars, get 20-40% of their annual revenue from Canadian tourists, many (if not most) of whom are no longer going to be visiting. Our national park here in Maine has been desperately understaffed and has a backlog of needed maintenance, and that's not getting better now. The President is already threatening to withhold federal funding because he doesn't like our governor, and if things continue on-trend with the tariffs, next winter's heating costs are going to skyrocket.
And even if all of that is reversible - if it all, by some miracle, finally gets Susan Collins to find her spine - we've already done far worse damage to the trust that our fellow citizens and international neighbors can put into the stability of our government. Tariffs could be slapped on our allies without good reason, visitors are more likely to be detained at our borders, our fellow Americans' civil service jobs are no longer guaranteed, etc. It's beyond what having "good options in future elections" can do - we'll be digging ourselves out of this reputational hole for decades (at least).
Does that justify wanting pain for other’s?
Is she "wanting pain?" Or is she recognizing that pain will happen no matter what, and wanting that to arrive sooner (rather than lingering while things continue to unfold) in order to break the spell, if not for Trump himself then for those who still don't see this administration as destructive, and for Trump to finally feel their justified disapproval? I read her post as the latter.
Yes, this is how I read it too. I think the pain is inevitable, so "wanting" it just means that I hope it happens quickly so more people will acknowledge it, and we can move forward instead of backward. I don't feel like wanting it means I want the country to fail. I just don't think we can change course until more people feel and acknowledge the pain that's occurring.
Interesting. I definitely didn’t read that at all. I read it as someone excited about our potential failure as a country.
Perhaps the OPs last line didn't stand out to you the way it stood out to me, in which she stated, "and then, I hope, the spell will be broken." She ends with the explicit hope that once some pain is felt, we can finally move on. Having similar political leanings, I read that as a hope to move on from this period in American politics where we have a president who seems to be more focused on destruction of government rather than the welfare of the American people. That's not excitement for failure, it's hope for something better.
The pain that is currently being caused by trump is devastating. I would not wish pain on anyone but also believe we have a very short amount of time before this crew dismantles our democracy - and places us in terrible danger from our enemies. The pain of living in an autocracy is severe according to those who have fled them. I hope those who are celebrating trump are able to recognize that autocracy is not better than democracy.
I hear you, but I don’t think it’s on the American people to offer an alternative that has no hope of reaching the people in charge. Trump will do what he wants - we all know that. And knowing that, it doesn’t make much sense to hope and plan for an alternative.
I don’t wish pain on the American people. I hope every day that I’m wrong about what I believe is the destructive nature of Trump’s policies. But I’m also not going to delude myself when I see the pain that is already being caused.
I agree with you Amy that it's not healthy to wish pain on others. And we are seeing pain everywhere right now, delivered by Trump, Elon and their other leaders. Veterans and civil service employees losing their jobs. Farms facing closure. Communities flooded and not getting federal assistance. Historical information getting erased, as if no woman, person of color, disabled person contributed anything to society. And that's a very short list of the pain that's already directly impacted people in the last 2 months. When are you going to care more about the pain actually happening vs. this debate about whether it's going to take pain to wake people up?
Um, that’s a false choice. It will take pain to wake them up. It just will. But it’s gotta be more than what we have now. Sorry. Have you ever studied cults? People can rationalize all of it. Too many of his voters love him because they’re afraid. They’re afraid of the “other”: women, trans, gay, black, Mexican and Latin/South American. They’re afraid of Dems too. So they need to be more afraid of something else to be open to hearing the truth. It’s ugly. But look back in history. It’s what happens.
I never said that I don’t care about the pain actually happening. Two things can be true at the same time.
So Dems aren’t angels. They have a lot to fix and do better on for sure. But what you’re asking assumes that MAGA peeps would know a good alternative if they saw it. Too many of them would not. They believe his propaganda. So showing them better is pointless. They have to first be open to reason and fact. Last time I checked, feeling pain cracks people wide open. And let’s be clear. I’m in NO mood to suffer along side these chuckleheads but if it gets me my country - back I’m in.
I find it interesting that so many people blame Trump supporters for believing the propaganda. People on the right said the same thing about Biden supporters. There are actual real reasons that people support different Presidents or vote and it has nothing to do with propaganda.
People who support Trump are not idiots because they support him. Some people are just idiots and it has nothing to do with which President they support.
I don’t believe people in these comments are saying Trump supporters are idiots. What many of us are wondering is why someone would support him. Why did you vote for him - I’m asking an honest question? What about him and his platform made you feel he was the better candidate?
There are many reasons. But my primary reason is RFK Jr.
I didn’t like the direction our country was going under the Biden administration. Looking at the democrat party, I believed any option was better than that party. Between how covid was handled, the cover up of Biden’s cognitive decline, and open borders, that isn’t a party I can get behind.
Thank you for responding. 😊 I voted for Harris for many reasons: higher taxes on the super rich and corporations, environmental protections, protecting women’s health care rights and protecting social security/medicare/medicade. I was a republican until they nominated Trump, I can’t support a candidate/party who caters to the super wealthy and actively works to destroy what is most important to me.
That being said, I agree our immigration system is a mess and needs to be fixed and I also agree there is much waste and bloat in the government. Where the waste and bloat isn’t is where it is currently being cut. The waste and bloat is in the contracts people like Musk have that overcharge and under deliver (if they deliver at all.) It’s in all the pork that our politicians add to the spending bills - but none of that is actually being cut.
Thank you for your response as well.
I don’t agree with how Musk is handling things at all. There is a better way to cut waste.
We are not “us” right now I’m so sad to say.
I don’t recognize this country anymore. It’s dark ages for me. It’s going backwards fast. There’s a spell of disinformation that’s been cast and a whole bunch of people who believe that Trump will make them happy and safe and economically secure again. That spell needs to be broken hard and fast. We can’t use reason or facts. Pain that’s felt deeply, I believe, is the only way out. If his supporters wake up and say “I have no job and my groceries cost more - no wait everything costs more! - and I can’t borrow money because rates are too high” etc etc then and only then will they MAYBE blame him. And they’d be right - for the first time in a long time. HE is the one to blame for this mess that’s rolling down the hill fast.
My thoughts exactly, Amy! The hate runs so deep…just look at all the horrific acts being committed against Tesla owners and dealerships, the very brand that was being touted by the Left a mere couple of years ago. I would also like to add, anyone who voted for Tim Walz as VP and also complains about Trump being a bully should really take note that the “big teddy bear from MN” is anything but…the interview with Newsom was very telling. The hypocrisy is comical and sad both!
Respectfully, it's easy to paint the "other party" as a whole as "hateful" based on the actions - condemned by most, by the way - of very, very few. It's not MY fault that some idiot thinks torching a Tesla will heal the world just like it probably wasn't your fault that some Republicans broke into the Capitol. I still think EVs are one of the better things humans have created recently, and also I think Elon Musk is being very destructive with our government. Both can be true.
Hypocrisy is part and parcel with any party over policy stance. I'd like to think most here in these comments are trying their best not to get dragged into it. It's nice to give people the benefit of the doubt where we can.
I was merely addressing to the “pain” aspect of Jeanne’s reply. Where is the line drawn? Wishing for pain, IMO, is never a good thing. Maybe it’s just the way this southern girl was raised…
Sure. But isn't wishing to deport millions also wishing pain on those millions? Isn't pushing trans people out of athletics wishing a measure of pain on them? Didn't the writers of the Project 2025 initiative explicitly wish pain on federal workers as a part of the process of shrinking government?
I'm sure all of us want to take the "high road" of claiming we never wish pain on anyone. But being part of a society that must function together always means someone's going to experience pain at the cost of someone else's freedom. We should wish to limit the pain to as little as possible, of course. And that's what liberals believe they're doing, and that's what conservatives believe they're doing.
If by ‘wishing to deport millions’ you are referring to people that entered this country illegally, you need to go back to the decisions that they made to come here unvetted. Deportation is not a result of anyone “wishing” pain on them. It’s righting a wrong that should have never been allowed in the first place…as for the pain being caused to trans athletes, I see it as “actual” pain and disservice to the women impacted by allowing them to participate in areas where they clearly, hello DNA!, don’t belong. The real pain with the trans issue in sports lies in missed scholarships and opportunities the women athletes missed out on.
You’re proving my point. You believe the pain the “others” have to experience is worth upholding the things you value.
How is upholding immigration laws and not allowing biological males in women’s sports “values”? These are not specific to me, they are actual rules/laws…
Per the rules of the NCAA, trans people have been allowed in sports for decades. It just became a Republican talking point over the past handful of years. It's not a law nor a rule.
Many of the people Trump is attempting to deport are following the asylum and immigration laws we have in place. It's just that our laws are very, very outdated and bad, causing years-long delays. It would have been cool if we'd gotten that bipartisan immigration legislation passed in 2024, but alas.
But I fear we're straying from the original point in question, and I'm not looking to get into a long drawn-out argument on these two issues.
A yet, that’s exactly what you have done…as per usual here on this Substack. Not speaking only to you but many others who seem to always have a superior voice when it comes to anything and everything the current administration is doing. It has become so very predictable. There are other members with whom I share similar views. I know this because I hear from them directly, however they see how myself and a few others are treated and they chose to stay on the background. Perhaps they are the smarter ones. The echo chamber is becoming deafening and the bandwagon is running out of space.
Are you comparing "horrific" acts against Tesla dealerships vs thousands of people losing their jobs and livelihood, farms going bankrupt, people being deported without due process, veterans losing the support they need, etc? That's just the short list of trauma being imposed on people in this country. Why are you more concerned about a Tesla dealership? Musk can't possibly spend the amount of money he has in this lifetime. And yet you are more concerned about him? Do you see the pain happening around our country?
I believe you missed my point…wishing pain is never a good option.
Robn, i agree with you that wishing pain on other humans is not good. If you believe that too, and you can see the pain that's being caused by Trump and Musks decisions, how do you reconcile that in your mind? Pain is happening NOW. So if you agree with and support what Trump and Musk are doing, you are literally wishing pain on other human beings. You are literally supporting people losing their jobs and livelihoods, veterans losing the support they need, people with cancer losing medical trials, families getting separated from each other, and too many other pains to list here. So getting upset at people for "wishing pain" when you are literally advocating for the pain happening right now is hypocritical at minimum.
Say more please. I’m curious.
Right? The hypocrisy is very sad.
Any of it? All of it? Tim Walz maybe? I don’t follow him so I don’t know what you’re referring to? The interview with Newsom maybe? Hypocrisy? I’m not tracking. And since tone can’t be conveyed here I’m not being snarky. I’m truly asking.
I don’t follow Walz either. I saw the interview he did over on Gavin Newsom’s recent podcast. You may want to listen to it as reference to what I mentioned. While I understand where you are coming from by wishing pain on fellow citizens, I am also reminded of a saying my late grandmother used to say, “Misery often loves company…”. Although sometimes tempting, especially toward those we feel have hurt us, ill will is never as fulfilling as it may seem. 😊
So I’m wondering if this helps with the understanding of why I wish the economy the worst under this crazy and destructive Trumptopian regime: Let’s just say you have a teenage son. He’s a know it all kid who loves to stay up late on school nights, blows off his homework and hates to brush his teeth before bed. You know this isn’t healthy for him. You know staying up late and then having to get up early for school the next day isn’t good for his brain health or immune system. You also know that blowing off homework is also not good for his long term well being and bad grades will hurt his chances of getting into college (or wherever). You also are sure (and you’d be right) that not brushing teeth = cavities. But he won’t or can’t listen to you or to reason of any kind. Many parents, including me, would say okay. Let’s see what happens when he gets the bad grade or the cavity or the cold from too many late nights. It’s a natural consequence and he may wake up and take heed after “suffering” the results of his actions. It won’t kill him, you’re still a loving parent and a good person, but you also know that some people can’t or won’t be convinced unless they see it and feel it and learn a lesson themselves, first hand. So here we are. This, right here, is the Trump voter. They don’t believe data and fact. So natural consequences are all we have left. And that’s not schadenfreude.
Jeanne- Trump voters aren’t a monolithic group. There are many different reasons people voted for Trump and they don’t need to be taught a lesson. It is insulting.
Teach me then, Amy. What do you love about him?
I don’t love much about him but do enjoy his sense of humor. I’m just happy he is in the White House over Harris. But I won’t be sad when his term is over.
This is not what I expected you to say. And I’m confused. Was it that you picked the lesser of two evils?
Somewhat as I don’t align at all to the Democratic Party. I would have preferred another Republican candidate, but I also am fans of RFK Jr and Tulsi. RFK Jr had my vote and support all along.
He had your support why?
Sorry- I wasn’t clear. He still has my support and was planning on voting for him when he was running.
Just curious, did you vote for Harris/Walz?
Just wondering - what part of what I just said prompted that question? The whole convo we were just having about natural consequences and living with the outcomes…are we putting that on hold? Does it just make way too much sense 🤷♀️
Actually I didn’t comment on your comparison because of the ridiculous nature of comparing tough love parenting with wishing pain on your fellow citizens. These two are not the same…on the other hand, my question to you was prompted by your lumping all Trump voters into one lane. Why don’t you want to answer??🤔
Attempt #2 (and there is no #3): So people who voted for Trump believed he really would Make America Great Again. Right? They still do. Now let’s just say that I and 48.3% of the voters knew that Trump serving as president was as bad as not brushing your teeth times 10,000,000,000,000,000 (okay, gotta stop there). We’ve tried our darnedest to fight fiction with fact and cut through the clutter of lies that Trump needs people to believe in so he can stay in power. But now we are done. Time to let these MAGA voters experience the America they voted for. And it will be bad. But I’m not hoping this m’am. I’m KNOWING this. And I am just so sorry that you can’t see this. Trumpies have to feel their vote and it will be bone crushing. And while I don’t want them to be crushed, I do want them to say “Damn that MAGA fool” when they are, eventually, crushed. That pain is the only hope we have because they won’t listen to fact and reason (and basic human rights, economics, ethics yada yada yada). Now, about that vote question you asked me. This same grandma who told you all about that misery and company stuff? Didn’t she also tell you that it’s rude to ask someone who they voted for? It is, you know 😉
Thank goodness you are done! Maybe focus a little more on the collapse of your own party and a little less on the one you don’t align with. Continuing to hope for the wrath of pain and hate-filled rants toward those of us wanting for and working for better, serves no one. (And it will make you miserable in the meantime!). I’ll bet those you preside over in the nonprofit would welcome better also.
Um, no hate filled rants. Just facts. But I know how difficult those are for you to hear right now and I’m sorry. It’s painful now I know. And it’s about to get way worse. But by 2026? 2028? It will eventually turn around. Chin up!
Life in America is getting better by the day. RFKJr is looking out for all the babies and Trump is gutting the DOE. I’m very happy with (not everything) but definitely most of the changes made in just the first 2.5 months!!
No worries here! Our country dodged a major bullet and I am so grateful!!
Wow! Bless your heart…
What “more” would you like to hear?
I’ve been wondering all along why so few in Congress has spoken up to say hey we are here, use us especially when the GOP has the House and Senate. IMO not speaking up makes them complicit in the chaos of these illegal EO’s. A few questions that keep coming up that I hope someone can answer: 1. Is it within the President’s constitutional right to form DOGE and hire Musk to do what he’s doing with zero congressional approval? Meaning Congress had to approve cabinet picks. Why not DOGE or Musk? I understand some actions Musk took were unconstitutional but is the position/dept itself illegal? 2. Did the CR contain other stuff? You said it was clean from a budget perspective, but articles I’ve read suggested it gave more power to Trump and Musk to keep cutting things with less oversight which is why Dems didn’t like it, is that true? Thanks!
Gabe did write (over on his Substack) a bit about your second question: https://www.wakeuptopolitics.com/p/house-quietly-ducks-trump-tariff
As to why Congress hasn't spoken up, my personal sense is that many members do understand how DEEPLY unpopular a lot of these actions are (even with their own voters) and don't want to deal with having to be responsible for that agenda. It's one thing to say "I support the President" and another to say "I had the opportunity to vote on this, and I did."
That is true here in MO. When Republican US Rep Mark Alford (my former neighbor, but not Rep.) held a 10:00 am weekday town hall in a tiny coffee shop, he was surprised by people spilling out and lining the streets. He forgot his constituents were recently fired, and now available to attend. And Mad!
Mark’s response to his unemployed and irate constituents, “God has a plan for you.”
That reply is BANANA PANTS.
I’m sorry, “God has a plan for you.”?! Is that plan for kids to go hungry, folks to be homeless, and the elderly to lose their healthcare?! “Oh I’m sorry you life has gone to crap but I’m following my Lord and Savior, Velveeta Voldemort”. It is absolutely disgusting to suggest to suffering people that they will be just fine and to quit their complaining. 🤬
He was dismissive, pompous, arrogant. But I give them credit, they gave it right back to him, reminding him, “you work for us.”
"Thoughts and prayers" 🙏
Concepts of "thoughts and prayers" for this boil on the rear end of humanity.
Emily, Actually, less than.
Pathetic answer. Vote him out!
It's evident how unpopular some of their actions are as they are now no longer wanting to hold town halls. They don't want to face the voters anymore. I think thought that if these unpopular actions do get pushed through their voters will continue to be loud and unhappy with them. And especially the House knows there are elections in less than two years now. I voted for my R Congressman because he has always been a moderate who listened to his constituents but he has deeply disappointed me since the election. I will not be supporting him again.
My rep is holding a joint town hall with another district rep today. They didn't announce the town hall publicly anywhere, and it's being held in a small venue - I got very lucky to get tickets. They ran out within an hour or so of someone getting me the link (which was impossible to find via Google). I look forward to seeing what the environment of the town hall is like. I have a feeling it won't be very pretty - but I'm grateful, at least, that they're holding one at all.
My Representative is nowhere to be found and every time he posts on social media, all the comments say, "Where are you?" "When are you having a town hall?" Now people are starting to organize their own town halls and inviting him, but so far, he hasn't shown up.
He supposedly did a "phone town hall", but no one knew about it, so I think they sent the email to only supporters. I'm on his list, but I never got an email.
I'll be curious what happens in 2026. He won in this district by over 15% margin in 2024. In 2020, the Republican candidate only won by 3%. I wasn't in the district then, as after 2020, they changed the boundaries, and I went from District 2 to 1. This district is generally Republican lately but has been Democratic before. I just looked back and it went Republican by less than 1% in 2018. 2016 it was Democratic by a little over 1% and in 2014 and 2012, it was solid Democratic. This is very interesting. Much of this area is very rural, lots of farms, but also includes the city of Rochester with the Mayo Clinic and that is generally blue. This is Governor Walz's district. He won this district pretty solidly from 2006 through 2017 when he didn't run and ran for Governor instead.
Is this the same rep that voted against all the infrastructure bills but goes all over his district bragging about the roads, bridges, etc. and photographed with the leaders like he is responsible for the improvements?
My Rep is all over the place. He's doing things in public but with very private attendee lists who are his supporters. And they aren't things where he's taking questions. We are also very rural. He has been a Rep for a long time because he was a moderate and worked across the aisle to compromise and find the best outcomes for his constituents. But it feels like he's trying to keep his status quo without acknowledging the impacts so far.
Thank you!
I cannot remember a time reading your Preamble that I have been this upset and frightened. On a moral basis I'm so disheartened that it seems so mean spirited. On the basis of democracy, I think we are losing it. Regarding the dollars "saved", I think the slash and burn of services of all types will cost us in the costs of lawsuits, productivity, wages lost, therefore taxes collected. I would love to be wrong.
Taking a whole host of illegal/unconstitutional actions only to be forced to undo them and then fight to redo them in court feels very ✨ efficient ✨.
"Measure once with a broken instrument, cut multiple times, and then tape some of it back together." That's how the saying goes...right?
It seems like challenging the constitutionality will eventually backfire for republicans. If dems were in the White House and they were pushing for this, the republicans would be distraught. I think they need to remember that any power they gain in the executive branch by doing this will eventually be used against them.
Thanks, Gabe. I appreciate the way you cover issues, and your straightforward, well-written approach. Last night I watched the Chris Cuomo and Steve Bannon interview on News Nation, and some of these issues/strategies were discussed there as well.
Thanks for the article, Gabe!
I might be late to the picture to change but omg your cat is so cute 😭
Thank you :) We are a full house of animals over here. 4 cats, 1 dog, and a couple feral cats outside. Have to stop myself from rescuing more but they always find me. 😂
My mom had the same issue with rescues finding her…we had lots of cats haha
lol! They know who to go to! :)